At the saw-toothed edge of autumn, violent forest fires obscured the noonday sun at Green Gulch Farm. Ominous clouds of charcoal soot and thick, vermilion smoke darkened the Pacific Northwest, covering the last rows of butter lettuce with ghost-gray ash.

Source: A Zen Harvest - Tricycle

LOS ANGELES (RNS) — Religious groups are urging California education officials to include their histories and cultures in a model ethnic studies curriculum being developed for high schools in the state.

The proposed curriculum, which the Department of Education has been planning since 2018, centers on Chicanos and Latino Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans and Native Americans. It is intended to serve as a guide as schools design the ethnic studies courses that could be mandated for graduation beginning later this decade.

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Yolanda Hart Stevens straddles an upright mesquite log with an indentation cut into one end.Into the hollowed-out divot, she places hunks of clay dug up from a secret clay pit.

Using the end of an oblong stone about 8 inches long, she pounds the small nodules into a coarse flour-like substance. She sifts pebbles and other contaminants from the pasty clay flour, then adds water and mixes it by hand.  

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ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) - In Roanoke County, folks are celebrating the festival of lights this weekend. It’s part of the Diwali holiday that is mainly observed by Hindus.

There was a little change to traditions at the Hindu BAPS temple this year because of COVID. Worshipers celebrating had to make an appointment and observe social distancing. The temple used floor markings and only allowed a few people at a time to offer blessings.

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